Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Name: Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 noodles (225 g) regular (not no-boil) lasagna noodles; 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; 10 oz (280 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry; 15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups (710 ml) heavy cream; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk; 2 cups (200 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided: 1½ cups (150 g) for sauce and ½ cup (50 g) for topping; ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) ground nutmeg; 16 oz (450 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated (about 4 cups); kosher salt, to taste, plus 1 tbsp for the pasta water; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender poached chicken and spinach are layered with tender noodles, a silky homemade garlic Alfredo sauce, creamy ricotta filling and plenty of melted mozzarella. It's a rich, golden, bubbling casserole that slices cleanly and feeds a crowd.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 2 hr 10 min
Makes: 1 lasagna (12 squares), from a 9×13-inch pan

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the lasagna
12 noodles (225 g) regular (not no-boil) lasagna noodles
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
10 oz (280 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
For the ricotta filling
15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
For the Alfredo sauce
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (710 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
2 cups (200 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided: 1½ cups (150 g) for sauce and ½ cup (50 g) for topping
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) ground nutmeg
For assembly
16 oz (450 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated (about 4 cups)
kosher salt, to taste, plus 1 tbsp for the pasta water
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep
Large pot for boiling noodles
Large deep skillet or Dutch oven, 12-inch (30 cm)
Large saucepan, 4-quart (3.8 L)
Instant-read thermometer
Aluminum foil and nonstick spray
Box grater and whisk

Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) when you start layering.
Grate the Parmesan and mozzarella yourself from blocks. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy.
Squeeze the thawed spinach very dry in a clean towel. Extra water will make the lasagna soupy.
Plan on about 2 hours 10 minutes in total, including a 20-minute rest before slicing.

1
Boil the noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tbsp kosher salt.
- Cook the lasagna noodles 2 minutes less than the package directs, so they are flexible but still firm.
- Drain, rinse briefly with cool water, and lay in a single layer on a lightly oiled sheet pan or on parchment so they don't stick.
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Ready when: Noodles bend without tearing but still have a firm bite in the center.
Tip: Cook a couple of extra noodles' worth of time-buffer: if you have a spare noodle, boil it in case one tears.
2
Brown the chicken
- Pat the chicken dry and season with ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl; it will finish cooking in the oven.
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Ready when: Pieces are golden on the outside and no longer pink on the surface; interior reaches at least 150°F (65°C) and will reach 165°F (74°C) during baking.
Tip: Don't crowd the pan, or the chicken steams instead of browning. Cook in two batches if needed.
3
Start the Alfredo base
- In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly, to remove the raw flour taste.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant and the paste looks pale and bubbly.
Tip: Browned garlic turns bitter. Lower the heat if the butter sizzles hard.
4
Finish the sauce
- Slowly whisk in the cream and milk, adding about ½ cup (120 ml) at a time so there are no lumps.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook 5 to 6 minutes, whisking often.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in 1½ cups (150 g) Parmesan, the nutmeg, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.
- Taste and adjust.
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Ready when: Sauce coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through it leaves a clean line. It will be pourable, thinner than a finished Alfredo.
Tip: Add the Parmesan off the heat to keep the sauce smooth and prevent it from turning oily.
5
Mix ricotta filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, parsley, squeezed-dry spinach, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, fold the browned chicken into 1½ cups (360 ml) of the Alfredo sauce.
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Ready when: Spinach is evenly distributed with no wet clumps.
Tip: Wring the spinach in a clean kitchen towel until no more liquid drips out.
6
Preheat and prep panOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray, then spread ½ cup (120 ml) plain Alfredo sauce over the bottom.
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Ready when: The bottom of the dish is thinly and evenly coated.
7
Layer the lasagna
- Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly.
- Dollop and spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then top with half the chicken-Alfredo mixture and 1 cup (about 112 g) mozzarella.
- Repeat once more with 3 noodles, the remaining ricotta, remaining chicken mixture and 1 cup mozzarella.
- Finish with 3 noodles, ¾ cup (180 ml) of the remaining plain sauce spread to the edges, and the remaining mozzarella and ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan.
- Keep any leftover sauce for serving.
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Ready when: Every layer is covered edge to edge and the top noodles are fully covered with sauce.
Tip: Make sure sauce reaches the corners and the top noodles are fully covered, or the exposed edges will dry out and turn hard.
8
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Spray one side of a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and cover the dish, sprayed side down.
- Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish.
Tip: Spraying the foil keeps the cheese from sticking.
9
Uncover and brownOven 375°F / 190°C
- Remove the foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes more at 375°F (190°C).
- For deeper color, broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes, watching constantly.
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Ready when: Top is bubbling and golden brown in spots, and the center reads at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Tip: Broilers vary widely, so don't walk away during the broiling step.
10
Rest and serve
- Let the lasagna rest on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
- The sauce thickens and the layers set.
- Cut into 12 squares with a sharp knife and serve with any extra warm Alfredo sauce.
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Ready when: Slices hold their shape and no sauce rushes out when cut.
Tip: Cutting too early causes the layers to slide apart.

Good to know

Tips

Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh, which releases water and makes the lasagna loose.
Keep the sauce slightly thinner than you'd serve over pasta because the noodles absorb liquid as they bake.
Whisk the cream in gradually and keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can make it break or turn greasy.
Rest the lasagna a full 20 minutes for clean slices.

Make ahead

"Assemble through step 7, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking and add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered bake time. Or freeze unbaked, wrapped well, up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: covered, up to 4 days. Freezer: portions wrapped well, up to 3 months. Reheat single portions in the microwave at 70% power for 2 to 3 minutes, or cover the dish with foil and warm at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until hot throughout. A splash of milk on top keeps the sauce creamy."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or shredded rotisserie chicken (about 3½ cups). Thighs stay juicier. If using rotisserie chicken, skip the browning and just fold it into the sauce.
whole-milk ricotta → Cottage cheese, drained and blended or stirred. Use full-fat, well-drained cottage cheese for a similar creamy texture.
frozen chopped spinach → Fresh baby spinach (10 oz / 280 g), wilted and squeezed dry, or steamed broccoli florets, chopped. Fresh spinach shrinks a lot. Squeeze out all the water.
regular (not no-boil) lasagna noodles → No-boil lasagna noodles. Skip step 1 and add ½ cup (120 ml) extra milk to the sauce, and bake covered 10 minutes longer.